Sure, surf as much as you want. Absolutely update your Facebook status. Tweet away! Buy those boots online for 30-percent off during your lunch break.

Wouldn’t it be grand if your boss supported the need to surf the web during work, instead of poo-pooing our new-era need to be online anytime, anywhere? Great news, everyone. A new study says surfing the Internet during work is actually good for employee productivity. Now if we could only get employers on board.

Researchers at the National University of Singapore sited in their 2011 study Impact of Cyberloafing on Psychological Engagement that surfing the web during breaks is more “restorative” than checking email, making personal calls and texting. And with the positive impacts of gamification in the workplace on reducing stress levels and thus enhancing productivity, this blogger wonders just what employers are doing with this revolutionary information. The answer? Not a whole lot.

In our litigious world, companies opt for firewalls or even completely inhibiting free Internet browsing within the workplace using corporate technology and infrastructure. And really, who can blame them? In our own homes, we’re constantly protecting our children from malicious viruses, porn-laden search results and scammers. But do we stop our kids — or ourselves — from using the Internet at home or at work? Absolutely not. In fact, public school systems now teach students the dangers of the web and how to avoid malicious actions, like cyberbullying and privacy infringements. So, if they’re doing it in the schools, does it not make sense that corporations would find the right balance within their own employee communities?

Balance is vital in everything we do, personally and professionally. From a corporate perspective and even in our own homes, we must balance the value of the Internet against the dangers of the Internet. And during the workday, regardless of whether Internet browsing is approved, employees are still connecting to the web, even if only on their own tech devices. The reality is that the modern workforce is obsessed with being virtually connected, from social media to gaming apps. And instead of fighting the inevitable, companies must embrace the popularity and value of cyberloafing during the workday — thus controlling the outcomes instead of becoming victims to unwanted litigation, security breaches or inappropriate web browsing.

• Survey your employees on how they spend their downtime — and what they really want to do.
• Work with your IT departments to assess your current firewall restrictions and create gateways into the web for safe, productive web surfing.
• Establish an acceptable use policy for technology usage, including cyber browsing, and require employees to read and sign.
• Train your employees on your policies and the dangers/advantages of the Internet, from virus protection to research fact-checking.

Does your company inhibit or promote cyberloafing? Is there an acceptable use policy? Does your management team have a consistent approach to Internet usage monitoring, or does it just depend on an individual?